What to expect from the 'Game of Thrones' series finale

As the series wraps this coming Sunday, we reflect on what’s left to possibly unfold, who among the living are left to carry on, and the legacy of living in the face of never-ending brutality that is the Game of Thrones.

Dany and her ashes

Dany and Drogon burnt King's Landing to rubble. And before you judge the damage from one dragon, remember that when Meereen's slaves were liberated, Dany did it with Drogon alone. I, like many, was surprised she melted children, but the spirit of the show demands we always be guessing. We'll be surveying the damage through the eyes of our remaining heroes (Jon, Tyrion and Davos). It's hard to imagine that first conversation between them and Dany.

Helen Sloan

Iron Throne has been won; what now?

How does one face those who've been ransacked? Dany speaks of mercy being a strength. In this the final episode it is just about the only card she has left to play. Cities Dany liberated in the past were won from slavers and freed from the immoral caste systems that place rich over poor, power over weakness. Present situation excluded, of course, Dany had the support of those liberated peoples prior to crossing the narrow sea. Will they still love her, seeing the ashes left in her wake? In Westeros, she's unloved and haunted by Varys' last intentions: Jon Snow (Aegon Targaryen) taking place as the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. It's hard to imagine the grace with which she might handle this situation other than a complete cleaning of the house Targaryen.

Helen Sloan

Arya is the real hero

After her sacrificial act of slaying the Night King, Arya fancies she'll be the one to end Cersei's tyranny. Unlike Dany, Arya's mode of killing has only included the list of those who have wronged the Starks or people she cares for, not a carte blanche burning of victims. She was not expecting to get one last life lesson from her friend The Hound. It will be interesting to see what our hero of Winterfell brings back to her sister in the North. Presumably, alone, with Jon and the rest still in King's Landing. She has the element of surprise as well, as no one ever saw her in the kingdom.

Helen Sloan

What will become of the last of the Targaryens?

Take Dany at her word: Fear will rule the Iron Throne until future generations can replace those who know the truth. What does this mean for Jon Snow? I can't imagine he will remain mute in light of what Dany's done. But it's hard to reckon he will be able to take on someone he loves, again. Remember when he had to face off against his first love, Ygritte? Poor Jon can just never love someone who can easily love him in return. Of course, few things besides love can save a person. Maybe, (doubtful) there's the smallest chance these two can fix what was broken, get together for good and rule together without fear.

Helen Sloan

Winterfell and the North

Sansa, once she hears what took place in King's Landing, will strengthen the call for her brother to rule over the Seven Kingdoms. And much of the support that will follow her loyalty will be because of Varys, but also because of Dany's own actions. Dany made a point in "The Bells," but she made the wrong impression on the people of Westeros. She is a tyrant on a dragon. Historically, tyrants on dragons haven't done well on the Iron Throne.

Helen Sloan

Aegon Targaryen's legacy

Jon has spent the last few episodes saying very few words, but most of them were in loyalty to Dany who has now gone back on every moral Jon has built for himself. He's a soldier and a good one at that. I don't imagine he'll be able to forget seeing his own Northern soldiers raping the women in the capital, and subsequently killing some of his own people to protect innocent lives. In war, it may not seem like there are rules but there is definitely a code of honor. I doubt Jon will see much difference between Dany's lack of compassion toward innocents and that of the Night King or Ramsay Bolton.

Helen Sloan

Dany’s vision

In season two Dany has a vision at the House of the Undying. King’s Landing and the Red Keep are in ashes, which appear to fall like snow. She reaches out for the Iron Throne but turns away as she hears the screeching of babies (dragons and otherwise). Eventually, in the vision, she leaves the throne and exits north of the Wall protecting the realms of men. She sees and speaks with her true love, Khal Drogo, and her stillborn son, Rhaego (who appears to be alive). Drogo and Rhaego await her death so that they may ascend into the afterlife together. Most of the vision seems to have come true save for her meeting with Drogo in limbo. Whether this is a prediction of her eventual death or a return to a more loving nature before the show ends, we know not.

Helen Sloan

Tryion's role in the aftermath of "The Bells"

I hope Tyrion leaves King's Landing and finds a new place to call home. I can't see Dany treating him very well after this last battle. I also can't see Tyrion able to stand another tyrant. He's likely going to be emoting some regret over the loss of Varys, him being right about Dany and all. Yet at the same time, I can't see him abandoning Dany either. Is there room for salvation after all the destruction? I feel that if there is any hope for her redemption, it will begin with those left closest to Dany.

Helen Sloan

Arya and Gendry, take two

With Arya's new found lust for life, will she will accept Gendry's offer to be the lady of Storm's End? I hope so. Not because I want Arya to become something she never wanted, but because she deserves happiness and a good life away from the pain and loss of the entirety of the show. She will never give up her knightly endeavors, and Gendry would have none of that as well. Perhaps the possibility of a Stark-Baratheon union will have greater implications going into the end of the story.

Helen Sloan

Tormund and Brienne

Tormund is North at the moment, but if another battle is to be had, Jon will likely need help from him and the Wildlings if they're going to challenge Dany in any meaningful way. Having Tormund back in the mix means Brienne may take on his affections. After being brushed aside for Cersei by Jaime, I doubt she'll be looking. If nothing else, Tormund has proved to be a decent enough man and why shouldn't she get some sort of satisfying love life in the end?

Helen Sloan

Bronn to collect on High Garden

This issue will prove difficult to rectify as I don't see Dany giving away one of the ports to the reach, High Garden, to save Tyrion's life. It's far more likely that Tyrion will align with Jon and Davos to see this bit done if it can be done at all. Tyrion and Bronn will more likely team up again now that Cersei is dead and Tyrion's offer is the only one left standing.

Helen Sloan

We were never guaranteed a happy ending

Remember what Ramsay Bolton tells Reek (Theon), “If you think this has a happy ending you haven’t been paying attention.” I can't see this show ending with a happy note, not when it began with a beheading. I could see us hitting the absolute bottom of this decline of Dany, which began a few episodes ago, culminating in destruction of most everything good and sacred about our favorite characters. Of course, the showrunners thrive on not giving into expectation, so, here's hoping!

Helen Sloan

Likelihood of an epilogue?

When great tales end, there is often an epilogue to give us some sort of absolution of what happens to these characters, whom we've spent eight years growing so fond of, beyond our story's ending. I'd love to see an epilogue in the last 20-30 mins of the series finale. I feel it would be a disservice to leave us after eight seasons, in the present without any kind of foresight into what could be.

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